BEST HOLIDAY GIFTS 2015

Every year, I find special products that enliven my day in my personal and professional life. I love great, basic things that perform well who are backed by amazing companies with superb customer service. I profile cooking and baking related products but also, since it's the holiday season, some other gift possibilities. I've used each one of these products and know how special they are. They are also all backed by the best customer service.

Some gifts just always make sense and if well-chosen, like a great, classic fountain pen, offer many years of gift enjoyment. A great pen is simply: the perfect gift for almost any age and men or women. Match a great pen up with the friendly expertise of a par excellence pen supplier, such as Brian Goulet’s www.GouletPen.com and you’re in for a real treat.

As a writer/author, my love of great pens is no secret. As a hand-written journal keeper, nothing beats a great fountain pen for ease of use and sheer pleasure in the craft of writing itself. When I first realized I preferred fountain pens, I just bought cheap (but not so cheap: they run out every other month and you have to throw them away) disposable fountain pens called the Varsity (also a Pilot pen). Then I got curious and began to investigate the world of fountains pens, guided by Brian Goulet’s amazing YouTube video pen blog. Herein is everything you need to know about fountain pens. In short, what I didn’t know about fountain pens is a lot. Like watches, people collect special edition of fountain pens. You begin to know which companies you might prefer and which pen style, heft and grip suits you best. Then there’s choosing nib size (Fine, Extra Fine, Medium) and appreciating that a Medium nib in a Pilot might be as fine as a Fine nib in a Lamy. Then there’s all sorts of inks. So many pens, so little time. Plus a $15 pen might suit you as much as a $1000 pen or you might like them all and everything in-between. This is a fascinating world.

As I am somewhat of a newbie, and just recently started working with Goulet, they suggested an amazing, affordable pen by Pilot called the Metropolitan. Mine’s a Purple Pop Metropolitan. It came with an easy-refillable cartridge and gorgeous purple ink (Goulet is a fountain of great ink choices and information too!) $15.00 http://www.gouletpens.com/pilot-metropolitan-fountain-pen-retro-pop-purple-fine/p/PN91434

What’s also neat about Goulet Pen in this holiday season is that their pens come beautifully and creatively wrapped and topped off with a sweet treat (I will leave that as a surprise). Just receiving a pen from Goulet is an experience. Opening the package, and using the pen is the second half the experience.

My purple Pilot Metropolitan is a dream to write with. I ordered a bottle of Noodler Ink in Violet and simply enjoying the perfect writing instrument, as it glides across pages in my Moleskin and large journal that I try and write in daily.

If you want to give someone the perfect holiday gift, whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Father or Mother’s Day or their birthday check out www.Gouletpen.com.
Spend some time on the site, ask questions (their customer service is incredible) and begin your pen adventure. Goulet also has a huge selection of roller ball pen, highlighters and other writing instruments, as well as ink, paper, sealing wax kits and pen parts.

The Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillets (and everything else)

https://www.lodgemfg.com/

I don’t know about you but sometimes non-stick can’t cut it. When that happens, I turn to The Lodge Cast Iron skillets. They are the breakfast makers, cornbread pans, and are ad hoc ‘pizza ovens’ (nothing makes better pizza crusts than a Lodge cast iron skillet). Now they’re even better than they were over a century ago. The famed skillets now come pre-seasoned. They come with instant great release, clean up with a bit of hot water and a paper towel and are literally invincible. You can also choose one of the ‘heat-treated’ skillets which boosts a rust-free finish.

I love a great kettle and a good whistling kettle is hard to find. Most have a whistling part that you have to use pot holders to take off once the water is boiled. Others, you just flip back the cap/whistling lid. But the Old Dutch iconic 601 from www.OldDutchco.com is not only gorgeous in a Downtown Abbey way, it features the whistle in the pouring stem of the kettle. Once it whistles –just remove the kettle from the heat source. But you don’t have to fiddle with a hot lid or cap. Plus this kettle looks brand new with a simple wipe and it has that British kettle (but worthy of Smithsonian) look that says : quality, class and legacy tea times. This to me, is the perfect gift and at the price, it’s about a third the cost of a similar kettle from England. Old Dutch is also renown for their kitchen copper ware and Tesubin pots. My suggestions for great tea? www.Harney.com or www.UptonTea.com

https://www.starfrit.com/
Starfrit is a Canadian housewares legend that began in 1965. Since then, this innovative company has been on a mission to innovate, create and market an enviable host of kitchen products, from cookware, storage to gadgets that bring gadgetry to a new level of quality and performance. The brand has everything you could possibly want, and all with the Starfrit attention to detail of design and totally does whatever job the product is supposed to, whether it be food storage, chopping, dicing, opening cans, weighing ingredients (or luggage), measuring, cooking or baking. The line is extensive and you can order online at the Starfrit site or via Amazon and Canadian Tire and Walmart.

The Rock is their line of durable, ceramic non-stick cookware that comes in classic black speckle or the Heritage cream-coloured finished. Either one features a ‘rock-hard’ durable non-stick surface that is unlike any non-stick on the market. The Rock can take a beating and comes out shining. Unlike other non-sticks, The Rock has a nice heft and weight to it. Thicker than most non-sticks, it also offers incredible heat retention and conductivity. It’s simply a pleasure to cook with, not only because it does the job but because each piece of The Rock is gourmet cookware. https://www.starfrit.com/en/heritage-the-rock-ceramic-8-34-20-cm-fry-pan

Aside from the frypans and a host of amazing The Rock casseroles (great for stews and oven-dishes), the Rock Square pan is the ultimate brownie pan and perfect lasagna pan. Nothing sticks in this pan! In fact, it offers the durability of cast iron, (without the weight), the release AND easy clean up of non-stick, and the high performance of a gourmet stainless steel cladded pan. The One Pot is also a terrific all-in-one meal maker (try it for Coq au Vin).
Please note many of The Rock's items DO work on induction cooktops too but always check the packaging to confirm that. Currrently The One Pot https://www.starfrit.com/fr/the-rock-one-pot-casserole-profonde-30cm-12-34-avec-couvercle is on sale for $29.99 (versus $99.99) for a limited time at the Starfrit site.

BEST LASAGNA AND BROWNIE PAN

I also recommend their Lock and Lock line of storage which has nicely snug fitting lids atop durable, clear glass storage of every size and shape. https://www.starfrit.com/en/lock-lock

There's also the Starfrit pro-quality Mandoline that can rival the French import classic mandoline for a fraction of the cost and delivering incredible cutting action on anything you throw at it - no matter what the vegetable - plus it all neatly falls into an attached container which can also be stored in the fridge. This is a must for every serious cook.

For girlie girl bakers, nothing is as riveting as a new vanilla perfume, especially if it is crafted with natural ingredients from a leading artisanal perfumer. Mandy Aftel has just launched this exquisite, sophisticated vanilla based perfume called Vanilla Smoke, that is sultry with vanilla absolute from Madagascar, and also brings woody, incense-like notes along with the floral boost of mandarin and warm anchor of ambergris and more vanilla.

This perfume gently transforms as it stays on your skin, imparting a sensuous, light but lingering echo of mystery.